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Author Notes:Our favorite way to use overripe bananas, this not-to-sweet loaf is a real lesson in being resourceful. Completely gluten-free and vegan, it's sweetened with dates that are blended right into the liquid ingredients. Note that the crunchy walnut mixture that finds its way both into and on top of the bread is completely addictive so we advise making a bit extra to snack on while the banana bread bakes. —Weird & Ravenous

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Makes 1 loaf

1/2
cup walnuts, roughly chopped

1/2
cup gluten-free oats

Olive oil

Maple syrup

Salt

3
overripe bananas

2
teaspoons real vanilla extract

1/2
cup almond milk

6
Medjool dates

1 1/2
cups all-purpose, gluten-free flour

1/2
cup white rice flour

2
teaspoons baking soda

2
teaspoons baking powder

1
teaspoon xanthan gum

Preheat your oven to 425ºF and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a mixing bowl, stir together the walnuts and oats with a tablespoon of olive oil, a tablespoon of maple syrup and a pinch of salt. Place half the mixture onto the prepared sheet pan and reserve the other half. Place the sheet pan in the oven and roast the nut mixture until browned and crunchy, about 10 minutes. Set the roasted mixture aside and turn the oven down to 350ºF.

Combine the bananas, vanilla, almond milk and dates together in a blender along with 1/4 cup maple syrup and 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Blend until completely smooth.

Meanwhile, whisk together the flours, the baking soda and powder and the xanthan gum together in a large mixing bowl with a healthy pinch of salt. Stir in the banana mixture from the blender . Fold in the reserved toasted walnut mixture and transfer the batter to a nonstick loaf pan or a greased loaf pan. Scatter the reserved untoasted walnut mixture on top of the loaf.

Bake the banana bread until a wooden skewer tests clean and it's just firm to the touch, 50 minutes. Remove the loaf from the oven and let it cool completely before eating. If you're a flexible vegan, a swipe of cream cheese is really welcome on each bite.

I just made this the non-vegan way, substituting 2% milk with a splash of almond extract, whole wheat bread flour, and no xanthan gum in equal parts to the recipe. Oops! I just realized I left out the 1/2 white rice flour component! I also cooked them as muffins. In any case, it works beautifully and made a delicious, marvelously moist and airy bread. I want to add an extra 1/2c flour next time to see what happens, but this was SO lovely!

Just ate the last piece of this loaf, wishing there was another one. I made it with 2 cups AP flour. This is a great recipe. I will make it again for sure. Thank you weird and ravenous.Your videos are a joy too!

Hi,If i already have all-purpose gluten free flour, could the rice flour be substituted with, say, coconut flour? What exactly does the rice flour contribute to the texture of the finished product. Btw, sounds delicious!

Hmm, that sounds like it might work, will you let us know how it goes? The rice flour offers a really nice 'crisp' quality to baked goods and we think it lightens the sometimes leaden quality of GF flour mixes.

Hey there! The xanthan gum is included to replace the stabilizing forces of gluten. If you make it without the xanthan gum it will be very crumbly, but still absolutely edible! Alternatively, if gluten isn't something you avoid, feel free to swap the gluten-free flour for regular AP flour or even white spelt flour.